Snowshoeing

Laurie Valentine
Fayetteville Elementary School
Fayetteville, NY

Winter is back!! Getting kids to exercise outside is a pretty difficult task, especially here in Central New York! Physical education classes are basically held in the gym throughout a very long winter season. Last year we introduced snowshoeing to our 3rd and 4th graders. They loved it! Snowshoeing is as easy as walking. The beginning snowshoer should be ready to head out on the trail in minutes; one of the reasons we chose our older kids first. The grounds surrounding our building are super. We have a wide range of terrain that becomes immediately accessible on snowshoes. We were very fortunate to acquire one class size set of children's snowshoes and four pair of adult snowshoes through our physical education equipment budget. The resident carpenter constructed a mobile rack to organize and to store the shoes and allow the shoes to dry.

OBJECTIVES:

• To introduce a new outside winter activity that would incorporate the New York State Physical Education Standards.
• To become familiar with snowshoe equipment and the care and maintenance of the equipment.
• To learn and apply skills and techniques for movement with snowshoes.
• To develop and nurture respect for the environment.
• To introduce activities that will develop and enhance physical fitness, creativity, cooperative learning and recreational pursuits.

ACTIVITIES:

** We spend the first class in the gym. We lay out older panel mats on the gym floor. Group discussion includes the following:

• Introduction of the snowshoe, the various parts of the shoe and their function.
  • How to put on the shoes
  • Safety rules regarding the use of the snowshoes
  • Appropriate clothing for snowshoeing

After the students practice putting on and removing the shoes several times, I have them practice walking forward and backward, jumping, falling down and getting back up. With the last few minutes remaining the students remove the shoes and practice hanging them up on the rack. I then discuss the procedure for the first class outside.

• Jumping Jacks.
• Make a snow angel.
• Walking forward, backward, make shapes or words.
• Pulling a sled.
• Playing tag.
• Follow the leader.
• Climb a mountain.
• Relay races.
• Orienteering.
• Raid the snow fort.
• Divide the class into the 4 houses from the Hogwarts School of Wizardry from Harry Potter. Houses can earn and lose points doing various activities.

There are endless possibilities of activities. The students are already asking, "When are we doing snowshoeing?" Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions, or if you may want to start this at your school. Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!!!!!